'The Millers' & 'We Are Men' Cast Talk Dysfunction

By Zach Seemayer 4:42 AM PDT, September 11, 2013

CBS is hitting the fall season hard with two hilarious new comedies: The Millers, and We Are Men, both shows revolving around failed marriages, the difficulties of the dating scene, and dysfunctional family dynamics. The stars of the upcoming sitcoms came together at CBS's first annual TV Dinner Night, on September 10, which is National TV Dinner Day in America.

CBS's Jackie Johnson, reporting for ET, spoke to the vastly talented casts about their shows, about family, and even about their choices when it comes to eating meals in front of the small screen at home.

The Millers follows the life of roving journalist Nathan Miller, played by Will Arnett, who gets divorced. When he tells his parents about the shake-up, his father, played by Beau Bridges, takes a cue from his son and leaves his wife, played by Margo Martindale. Nathan's mom comes to live with him, while Nathan's father moves in with Nathan's sister, Debbie (Jayma Mays), and her husband Adam (Nelson Franklin). It's a complex comedy about a dysfunctional family and what love really means to different people.

"My parents got divorced when I was a little kid," said Franklin when asked if the characters in The Millers resembled any part of his own family life. "But they were very civilized about it. But this is it, this is what happens. If you can laugh at it, it's better for everybody."

On We Are Men, Jerry O'Connell, Tony Shalhoub and Kal Penn are three single, older men who have all had failed relationships. When the young Chris Smith is left at the altar, he moves in to the short-term rental complex where the other guys all live, and they bond over their mutual troubles with love.

"We Are Men is about a group of guys getting over their divorces or going through divorces, and we haven't had much practice at being single," said sitcom vet O'Connell. "Everyone is going to struggle with us at home, and hopefully laugh a little along the way."